Award Travel 101

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**Award Travel 101**

Welcome to the Award Travel 101 Podcast! Founded in 2013 with just 20 members, the Award Travel 101 Facebook group teaches members how to travel the world using points and miles. Today, a community of over 100,000+ people from around the world share, teach and learn how to travel anywhere on any budget. Where are you going with Award Travel?

Latest Episodes:

When to Hold 'em and When to Fold 'em Apr 12, 2024

Show notes

Thanks to a recommendation from a member, we decided to review when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.

Is there long-term value?
Are the benefits enough to offset the annual fee?
If not, is there a retention offer?
If no offer, is there a path to product change to preserve the credit line to help with utilization ratio
If there's no path to product change, consider closing the card as long as it’s not the oldest card
If no annual fee, little reason to close. If you’re not using them though, put a small charge on them periodically.

Links to Topics Discussed

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Our partner CardPointers helps us get the most from our cards. Signup today at https://cardpointers.com/at101 for a 30% discount on annual and lifetime subscriptions!
Lastly, we appreciate your support of the AT101 Podcast/Community when you signup for your next card!

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

How You Doing? Apr 05, 2024

Show notes

One Quarter into 2024 Joe and Angie discuss their trips and progress towards their point and status goals. Well since we know Angie is a status slacker at least Joe talked about his progress there.

Links to Topics Discussed

8 New Airlines Just Joined PreCheck. Here’s A List of All 99 TSA PreCheck Participating Airlines— Iberia is the biggie here
Chase Sapphire Reserve and Ritz-Carlton Card Priority Pass Benefit Change: No More Restaurants or Markets
You Can Now Redeem Choice Privileges Points Online at Preferred Hotels
Amex Hilton Honors Business Card Shakeup: Priority Pass Out, Spending Credits In, Higher Annual Fee
Chicago Seminars 2024 Dates and New Location Just Announced

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Points Down Under Mar 29, 2024

Show notes

Mike and Joe discuss their trips to Australia. Mike was there for 8 days in a long anticipated trip to celebrate his 40th birthday while Joe jaunted down for 52 hours. Both flew United and American business class products on their longest routes discuss the pros and cons of each.
Their respective stays at the Hyatt Regency, Park Hyatt and Four Seasons in Sydney were also discussed along with attractions such as the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Hunter Valley wine region, scenic Blue Mountains, famous Bondi Beach and captivating Manly Beach.

Links to Topics Discussed in This Week's Episode:

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

First International Business Class Flight Mar 22, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Joe interviews a long-time friend, who was hesitant to open up credit cards for fear of ruining his credit and overspending. Tune-in to hear how he overcame that fear and is now booking his first international business class flights! These aren't the typical domestic carriers a newer Award Traveler might book either (American, Delta, or United).

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Finding Award Space Mar 15, 2024

Show notes

Finding award space could be difficult and often a frustrating exercise. Joe and Angie outline the steps and give tips on how to improve your results. Flexibility in types of points available, dates of travel, and airline routings. Start your search with your preferred airline, then expand your search out to partner airlines, and compare points needed.

Links to Topics Discussed

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Never Earn (Just) One Point Again - Maximizing Spend for the Most Rewards Mar 08, 2024

Show notes

One of the keys in this hobby is maximizing the return on your spend. Joe and Angie talk about the ways to never earn only one point per dollar again. They discuss the idea of building a portfolio/family of cards that return more value.

Some good references.

Our friends at CardPointers also provide a fantastic tool to make sure you are using the best card for every purchase. Get CardPointers and SAVE:

http://cardpointers.com/at101

Links to other Topics discussed

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Card Strategies - Let’s Get Crafty Mar 01, 2024

Show notes

In this episode's highlight feature, "Let’s Get Crafty," we explore various strategies to maximize credit card rewards tailored to different situations. Whether you have a "Player Two" or are flying solo, Angie and Joe guide you through evaluating upcoming trips and selecting the best cards in 4 scenarios:

Scenario 1: Two player mode, both people can get business cards
Scenario 2: Two player mode, only one person can get business cards
Scenario 3: Two player mode, no business cards
Scenario 4: Single player mode, no business card
Links to Topics Discussed
Etihad Guest Changes
Awards to Book Before They're Gone
Capital One to Purchase Discover?

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Budget Travel with John Ryan Feb 23, 2024

Show notes

John Ryan is very young and active in the Award Travel 101/201 community and writes for Bougie Miles. He talks with Joe about how his passion for travel began at a very young age. As primarily an economy flyer he discusses the different ways to approach budget travel.
Contact info for John:

john.ryan@fora.travel
@vegasteenager on X

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Flexible Over Fixed Points Feb 16, 2024

Show notes

Joe and Angie talk about the value of transferable over fixed points and how to best leverage them for maximum value utilizing the strength of transfer partners.
Links to topics Discussed

Where to Find Us

The Award Travel 101 Facebook Community.
To book time with our team, check out Award Travel 1-on-1.
You can also email us at 101@award.travel
Buy your Award Travel 101 Merch here
Reserve tickets to our April 2027 Meetup in Nashville now. award.travel/bna2027

Technical note: Some user experience difficulty streaming the podcast while connected to a VPN. If you have difficulty, disconnect from your VPN.

Oh P2- What Did You Do? Feb 09, 2024

Show notes

Many of us in this hobby involve our significant others in our award travel strategy, thereby activating "two player mode" which often allows us to double our earnings. However having a Player 2 does also come with it's own costs and frustrations. We have to make sure that P2 uses the correct cards (labels help) but also travel with them (costing more) to utilize the points they helped earn.

Links to Topics Discussed